Dry-kiln.



J. R- RIPLEY DRY KILN'.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 29. 1907.

No. 877,736. 1 PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908.

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THE NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON, u. c,

PATENTED JAN. 28

J. R, RIPLEY. DRY KILN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29. 1907.

2 SHEBTS SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS c0., wAsHmcromJz a.

JAMES R. RIPLEY, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

DRY-KILN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1908.

Application filed August 29. 1907. Serial No. 390.651-

had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a dry kiln adapted for drying lumber, woodenor other articles wherein they are subjected to a current of heated airfor that purpose.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improvedconstruction of air feeding device wherein the air is distributed overthe material to be dried, and a circulation thereof maintained by whichthe moisture laden air may be removed from the kiln.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide means for condensingany steam rising from the material being dried and collecting themoisture therefrom so that it may be evaporated by the air circulationthrough the kiln.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by theappended claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a vertical section through the kiln; Fig. 2is a top plan with parts in section and the roof removed from two of thesuction chambers above the tracks. Fig. 3 is a reduced section on theline 66, Fig. 1.

Like numerals refer to like parts in the several figures of thedrawings.

The numeral 10 designates the base or.

foundation of the kiln which is provided with the bearing 11 to carrythe rotatable floor 12, said floor being provided with the radiatingtracks 13 thereon adapted to be successively brought into alinement withthe tracks 14 upon the receiving platform 15 disposed at one side of thekiln. The revolving floor is supported near its outer periphery in anydesired manner, for instance, by bearing wheels 16 of ordinaryconstruction and is adapted to be rotated by any suitable means, forinstance, the cable or band 17 disposed in a groove upon the peripheryand extending to a power Windlass 18 driven from the shaft 19, as shownin Fig. 2. Surrounding this base and floor is the inclosing casing 20 ofany desired material, preferably metal supported upon upright posts 21and provided with one or more doors or closures in alinement with thetrack 14. This may be of any desired construction, for instance, asshown in 'my Patent 772,962 of October 25, 1904, with which the presentinvention is adapted to be used in place of the air circulating meansthere shown.

The casing 20 is provided with the top or roof 22 having at its outeredge a series of radially disposed suction chambers 23. In the case of acircular kiln these chambers are of segmental shape and each thereofprovided with the bottom wall 24 having a series of perforations 25through which the moist air from the kiln is drawn. This bottom wall isinclined downwardly toward its center and from the center of the kiln todischarge at its outer end 25 into the gutter 26 carried by the innerface of the wall 20. These gutters collect the water and the moisturecaught therein may be evaporated by the circulating air.

Extending upward from the outer portion of the suction chamber 23 is atriangular casing 27 which communicates with the conducting pipe 28, andthe pipes from the several chambers extend to the central suction dome29 from which the pipe 30 extends to any suitable suction device. 7

Communicating with each of the suction chambers 23 is a condensing stack31 provided at its upper end with a discharge aperture 32 and theapertured cap 33 by which the discharge may be opened or closed asdesired. The steam passing upward from the lumber collects in this stackand is there condensed by the atmosphere surrounding the same and thewater therefrom drains into the gutter as before described.

The heated air for the purpose of drying is introduced with or withoutpressure through the conducting pipe 34, the inner end 35 of which isdisposed in a vertical plane at approximately the axial center of thefloor and is there surrounded by the telescoping sleeve 36 carried bythe distributing head 37. Within this head a cone 38 is disposed so thatthe air is deflected outward in an even degree and discharged at theperiphery 39 of the head so as to be directed into immediate contactwith the material carried by the cars 40 and 41, traveling on the tracks13. The former of these cars is adapted to carry supporting racks forthin stock, and the latter car may carry similar material but is usedsimply to properly space the racks and prevent contact thereof with eachother due to .sap in the stock is to be killed before drying.

- blown toward the outlet and following the the radiating disposition ofthe tracks which closely approach each other at the center of the kiln.This car 41 is preferably of wedge shape, as shown in Fig. 6, for thepurposes described. This air distributing head is mounted for verticalmovement upon the conducting pipe in any suitable manner, one form ofwhich may comprise the arms 42 connected by the rods 43 with a band 44supported by hangers 45 from a'lifting band 46 to which a cable 47 isconnected. This is carried over the bearing rollers 48 and 49 to anoperating device for continuously reciprocating the distributing head. Aform of this device is shown in Fig 1. where the rod 50 is mounted toreciprocate in keepers 51 carried by the frame 52 connected by thepitman 53 with the crank gear 54 which meshes with the pinion 55 uponthe shaft of the driving gear 56.

Under some conditions it is desirable to introduce steam through thedistributing heath-particularly in case of fire or when the This may beaccomplished by a steam pipe 57 having its inner end 58 disposeddownward in the heat conducting pipe 35 so that the discharge of steamtl'ierethrough is made laterally through the head similarly to the airdischarge therefrom.

The introducing track 14 may be provided with any desired connections,for instance, the laterally disposed tracks 59 upon which acar may beswitched by means of the turntable 60, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the operation of the invention the truck When filled with material tobe dried is introduced into the kiln and the rotatable platform turnedso as to load the kiln with successive cars, and the material may beunloaded in a similar manner. The heated air is introduced through thedistributing head which may be continuously raised and lowered orreciprocated so as to distribute the air directly on all parts of thematerial, and owing to its position on the car passes be tween thematerial held thereon so as to thoroughly dry all parts thereof and.avoid any warping owing to a more intense heat at one point than anotherwhen incomplete drying is caused. The heated air causes dampness to risefrom the stock and. this is casing wall rises through the perforatedplate into the suction chambers from which it is drawn by theconnections described. In this manner the stock is not case hardener buta natural drying is effected. If it be desired to kill the sap-in thestock before drying or to extinguish any accidental fire in the kilnthis may be accomplished by the may be introduced into the distributinghead, and the steam which collects in the suction chamber rises to thestack where it is con-l 1. In a dry kiln, a casing, an air conductingpipe extended therein, and a distributing device carried by said pipeand movable vertically therein to traverse the material to be dried.

2. In a dry kiln, a casing, an air conducting pipe extended therein, adistributing head,

and means for vertically reciprocating said head.

3. In a dry kiln, a casing, a heat conducting pipe therein, adistributing head slidingly mounted upon said pipe, and means for reciprocating said head. 1

4. In a dry kiln, a casing, a heat conducted pipe therein, adistributing head slidingly mounted upon said pipe, arms extending fromsaid head, operating rods extending through the top of the kiln fromsaid arms, and means connected with said rods for continuouslyreciprocating the head.

5. In a dry kiln, a casing, a heat conducting pipe therein, ahorizontally disposed distributing head having a discharge at itsperiphery, and a collar telescoping upon said pipe, and a deflectingcone within the head disposed beneath the discharge from said pipe.

6. In a dry kiln, a casing, a heat distributer disposed centrallythereof, means for vertically moving said distributer within the casing,a suction chamber disposed above the casing, and having communicationtherewith, and a latform within the casing between said distributer andthe outer wall of the casing.

7. In a dry kiln, a casing, a heat distributer disposed centrallythereof, a suction chamber disposed at the edge of said casing, a

discharge pipe from said suction chamber, a

rotatable platform disposed within said casing, and a condensing stackcommunicating with said suction chamber.

8. In a dry kiln, a casing, a heat distributer disposed centrallythereof, a suction chamber disposed at the edge of said casing,

a discharge pipe from said suction chamber,

a rotatable platform disposed within said casing, a condensing stackcommunicating with said suction chamber, a centrally depressed floor forsaid suction chamber, and a collecting gutter disposed to receive thedischarge from said floor.

9. In a dry kiln, a casing, a heat distributer disposed centrallythereof, a suction chamber disposed at the edge of said casing, adischarge pipe from said suction chamber, a rotatable platform disposedwithin said casing, a condensing stack communicating with said suctionchamber, a centrally depressed floor for said suction chamber,.acollecting gutter disposed to receive the discharge from said floor, andmeans for vertically reciprocating said heat distributer.

10. In a dry kiln, a casing, a heat distributer disposed centrallythereof, a suction chamber disposed at the edge of said casing, adischarge pipe from said suction chamber, a rotatable platform disposedwithin said casing, a condensing stack communicating with said suctionchamber, a centrally depressed floor for said suction chamber, acollecting gutter disposed to receive the discharge from said floor,means for vertically reciprocating said heat distributer, a heatconducting pipe for said distributer, and a steam pipe disposed withinsaid heat pipe.

11. In a dry kiln, a casing, a series of suction chambers disposed atthe top thereof and provided with openings communicating with thecasing, a central dome suction pipes extending from. said chambers to acentral dome, and a hot air inlet communicating with said casing.

12. In a dry kiln, a casing, a series of suction chambers disposed atthe top thereof and provided with openings communicating. with thecasing, a central dome suction pipes extending from said chambers to acentral dome, a hot air inlet communicating with said casing, condensingstacks communicating with the suction chambers, and a steam inletcommunicating with said casing.

13. In a dry kiln, a casing, a series of S110- tion chambers disposed atthe top thereof and provided with openings communicating with thecasing, a central dome suction pipes extending from said chambers to acentral dome, condensing stacks communicating with the suction chambers,a steam inlet communicating with said casing, and an air intakecommunicating with said steam pipe and provided with a centrallydisposed dis tributing head.

14. In a dry kiln, a casing, a series of suction chambers disposed atthe top thereof and provided with openings communicating with thecasing, a central dome suction pipes extending from said chambers to acentral dome, a hot air inlet communicating with said casing, condensingstacks communicating with. the suction chambers, a steam inletcommunicating with said casing, and a cap damper disposed upon the upperends of said condensing stacks.

15. In a dry kiln, a casing, an air inlet thereto, suction chambersdisposed at the top thereof, and each provided with a depresse floorhaving openings therein, a casing eX- tending transversely of thesuction chambers at one end thereof, and a suction pipe leading fromsaid casing.

16. In a dry kiln, a casing, an air inlet thereto, suction chambersdisposed at the top thereof and each provided with a depressed floorhaving openings therein, a casing eX- tending transversely of thesuction chambers at one end thereof, a suction pipe leading from saidcasing, and a gutter-disposed at the inner wall of the kiln casing toreceive the discharge from said floor.

17. In a dry kiln, a casing, a centrally disposed heat distributingdevice therein, means for moving said device vertically and a truckprovided with means for supporting material to be dried between thedistributing device and casing.

18. In a dry kiln, a casing, a heat distributing device disposedcentrally therein, means for reciprocating said device vertically and anair suction device communicating with the top of the kiln at the outeredges thereof.

19. In a dry kiln, a casing, a heat distributing device disposedcentrally therein, an air suction device communicating with the top ofthe kiln at the outer edges thereof, a rotatable platform beneath saiddistributing device, and means for reciprocating said device vertically.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES R. RIPLEY.

Witnesses:

' E. OPPENHEIMER,

S. J. SHEPHERD.

